Dispensing device



Oct. 6, 1931. R. B. ROTHWELL DISPENSING DEVICE- Filed March 24, 1931mllnkulllpll Patented Oct. 6, 1931 PATENT OFFICE RALPH B. ROTHWELL, FLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA DISPENSING DEVICE .Application led March 24,1931. Serial No. 524,817.

My invention provides a dispensing device foil)` use in conjunction witha collapsible tu e.

Various preparations, such as toothpaste,

shaving cream, cold cream, salve and the like are provided incollapsible tubes. The preparation is exuded through a cap-closed mouthof the collapsible tube by squeezing on the body portion thereof andalso by rolling or folding the closed end.

It is an object of this invention to provide a dispensing device wherebynumerous objections to the present manner of handling a collapsible tubemay be eliminated.

The dispensing device of my invention constitutes a supporting means forthe collapsible tube and enables the tube to be placed in an uprightposition. The supporting structure of my invention is preferablyprovided in the form of a base which is adapted to rest on a surface.The supporting structure provides a means whereby one end of thecollapsible tube may be engaged, and the body portion of the tube mayextend from the supporting structure.

The dispensing device of my invention includes a means whereby the endof' the collapsible tube may be completely collapsed as the preparationis dispensed from the collapsible tube and assures that all of thepreparation will be removed therefrom. The preferred form of myinvention includes an exuding means which engages the collapsible tube,preferably at the point where the collapsible tube extends into thesupporting structure. This exuding means in its preferred form includesa pair of engaging faces adapted to engage the opposite sides of thetube and to reduce it from a substantially elliptical cross-section to avery narrow and elongated cross-section. On the interior of thesupporting structure is a means whereby the collapsed end of the tubemay be rolled up. This rolling means acts upon the collapsed end of thetube and completely forces any of the preparation within this end of thetube from the end of the tube so that the end of the tube which is woundon the rolling means has absolutely no preparation conc tained in it.

The dispensing device of my invention does not interfere with the normaluse of the collapsible tube. The device is relatively light and is of arelatively small size. The size of the device used on the ordinarytoothpaste tube is suiiiciently small so that it may be l held in thehand while the toothpaste is being dispensed.

The dispensing device of my invention is so designed that it may bereadily applied to a collapsible tube and may be readily detachedtherefrom.

My invention has numerous advantages in addition to those pointed outabove. For example, the collapsible tube is always supported in anupright position and will take a 're1- atively small amount of space ascompared to the space required when 'the tube is lying in a horizontalposition. The collapsible tube is always in such a condition that thepreparation may be readily dispensed therewith, and itis not necessaryfor the user to roll up the end of the tube whenever the preparation isto be used. In using my device the preparation may be forced from themouth thereof by squeezing on the central part of the tube. At intervalsthe rolling means may be operated in order to roll up the end of thetube and to compact the contents of the tube into the main body portionabove the dispens- 30 ing device. The body portion will then assume itsnormal shape and will be ready for further use.

A further advantage of my present invention is that it is of a portablenature and is not required to be secured to a wall. It may, therefore,in the case of a tube of toothpaste, be removed from the medicinecabinet with the tube and replaced, when desired.

A still further advantage of my invention is that it is of very simpledesign and therefore may be cheaply manufactured and offered to thepublic at a relatively low price.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated two forms of myinvention. Re# a5 ferring to these drawings in detail:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the utility of one form of myinvention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the dispenslng device shown in Fig. 1.10o

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 2. This form shows thetube rolled onto the rolling means.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional View 4taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken 1n a plane similar to the planeon which Fig. 2 is taken, but showing an alternative form of myinvention.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings in detail, I will describe the form of myinvention shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive. The dispensing device isprovided in the form of a base structure or supporting structure 11.rThis structure 11 includes side walls 12 and end walls 14 which arearranged to form a rectangle. T he lower ends of the walls 12 and 14 liein the same plane and are adapted to rest on a flat surface. The upperportions of the side walls 12 are provided with inclined top walls 15.At the central part of the base structure 11 there 1s provided alongitudinal mouth 17 which separates the adjacent portions of the topwalls 15. The opposing sides of the mouth 17 are defined by exudingmeans provided in the form of curved walls 18. The curved walls 18 maybe semi-cylindrical and are formed on axes which extend parallel to themajor axis of the mouth 17.

Provided in the end walls 14, as shown best in Fig. 4, are openings 20which are formed on an axis which is below the mouth 17 and which is inthe same vertical plane as the major axis of the mouth. Resting in theopenings 2O is a shaft 21 of the rolling means of my invention. Thisshaft 21 has a diametral slot- 22 which is adapted to receive the end ofa collapsible tube. Provided at the left end of the shaft 21, in Fig 4,is a flange 24 having a wing 25 by means of which the sha-ft 21 may bemanually rotated. In the oppositeor right end of the shaft 21 is a key26 which is inserted through a suitable slot in the shaft 21 after thesame has been installed to prevent its inadvertent removal. The innerface of the flange 24 is provided with a series of semi-sphericaldepressions 29 which are arranged in a circle generated around the axisof the shaft 21, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. Secured to thelower portion of the end wall 14 adjacent the flange 24 is a springmember 30. This spring member 30 is secured to the inner face of the endwall 14 by suitable bolt and nut means 31. The upper end of the springmember 30 is provided with an enl gager 33 which extends outwardlythrough an opening 34 provided in the end wall 14 and is adapted toengage in any of the depressions 29. The depressions 29 and the engager33 constitute a ratchet means of the invention, which releasably holdsthe shaft 21 in a certain position, but upon the application of forcepermits it to be rotated in either direc L.

In the utilization of my invention the collapsible tube, such asindicated by the numeral 35, is adapted to be supported in an uprightposition, as shown in Fig. 1. The closed end of the collapsible tube isprovided with a closing member 36 which is usually in the form of aplate bent into a U-shape and adapted to clamp the end of the tubularportion of the collapsible tube. The shaft 21 is turned into such aposition that the slot 22 thereof is in a vertical plane. The end of thecollapsible tube 35 is then extended downward through the mouth 17 andthe closing member 36 is extended into the slot 22. The shaft 21 is thenrotated into a position shown in Fig. 2, and the end of the tube is nowsufficiently engaged so that the tube is connected to the dispensingdevice and is supported in a vertical position. The assembly has theappearance as shown in the perspective View of Fig. 1. The basestructure 11 is. of sufficient size to provide an ample standard meansfor the tube but is not of such a size as to take up an unreasonableamount of space. When it is desired to dispense the preparation from thecollapsible tube the cap 37 thereof is removed and the preparation maybe dispensed by squeezin@ upon the body portion of the collapsible tu eor by operating the shaft 21 to roll up the end of the collapsible tube.If desired, the preparation may be removed a number of times bysqueezing tde tube after which the shaft 21 may be rotated in order toroll up the end of the collapsible tube and restore the body portion ofthe tube to its normal shape.

One of the features of the invention, as I have pointed out in theintroductory part of the specication, is that the dispensing deviceconstitutes a base or supporting structure for a collapsible tube. Thisis quite a desirable feature because it enables the tube to be supportedin an upright position in order that it will not occupy much space in amedicine cabinet, for instance. The tube is always in a position inwhich it is conveniently available for use.

Another feature of my invention is, as previously pointed out, that allof the preparation is removed from the tube. This is due to the novelcooperation between the rolling means and the exuding means. As shownbest in Fig. 2, the exuding means reduces the size of the end of thetube as it passes through the mouth 17. The width of the mouth 17,however, is wider than the combined thickness of the two side walls ofthe collapsible tube; therefore, there is a small amounty of thepreparation in the end of the tube as it passes downwardly from themouth 17 on to the rolling means. The rolling means is adapted tocompletely co1- lapse the end .of the tube and to squeeze any remainingpreparation therefrom. The manner in which this is accomphshed 1s shownclearly in Fig; 2. One wall of the collapsible tube is su stantiallystraight, as shown at 41 in Fig. 2, while t eV other wall is in the formof a reverse S curve, as indicated at`42.

Fig. 3 shows the dis ensing device with a considerable portion o thetube rolled on to the shaft 21. It will be noted that the shaft 21 is asuicient distance from the mouth 17 to permit the entire tube to berolled thereon. The ratchet means provided by the invention holds theshaft 21 from inadvertent rotation. The ratchet means, however, permitsa rotation of the shaft in either direction, and when the preparationhas been entirely removed from the collapsible tube the collapsible tubeis easily removable by engaging the mouth end of the tube and pullinupon it. The ratchet means does not ollger suilicient resistance toprevent the rotation of the shaft 21, and the shaft 21 will rotate andthe collapsible tube will be removed through the mouth 17.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I show an alternative form of my invention. In thisform of the invention the structure is practically the same, and whereit is the same like numerals will be used to identify those arts whichcorrespond to parts shown in igs. 1 to 4 inclusive. The essentialdifference between the form of the invention just described and the formof the invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is in the form of exuding meansprovided. The top wall 15 is provided with a relatively wide opening 50and supported in the opposing sides of the opening 50 are rollers 51,these rollers being sup-ported on horizontally extending shafts 52. Therollers 51 are spaced so as to provide an opening which serves as themouth 17.

The rollers 51 have cylindrical surfaces which constitute thecylindrical or semi-cylindrical walls 18 which act as the exuding means.As the tube is drawn into the dispensing device the tube is engaged bythe walls 18 of the rollers 51, squeezing the end of the tube in thesame manner as the walls 18 of the first form of my invention. As thetube is drawn downward the rollers 5l may rotate.

From the statement of invention incorporated in the forepart of thisspecification and from the description of the two forms of the inventionit is ,apparent that various modifications may be made which embody thecharacteristics of my invention. I therefore declare that I do not wishto be limited to the exact details of construction shown and describedherein, but wish my invention to be construed as broadly as is definedin the accompanying claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a rtable base :for supportin a collapsible tu e, the combinationof wa s having lower edges adapted for engagement with a supportingsurface; curved exudin walls forming an opening through which tiecollapsible tube may pass into said base, the opening being wider thanthe combined wall thickness of the collapsible tube in order that theremay be a layer of paste remaining in such portion of the collapsibletube to act as a support for the Wall of the collapsible tube to preventsame from bending; and rolling means inside said base for rolling up theend of said collapsible tube and to completely exude the pastetherefrom.

2. In a portable base for supportin lapsible tube, the combination of:wa

a cols having lower edges adapted for engagement with a supportingsurface; curved exuding walls forming an opening through which thecollapsible tube may pass into said base, the opening being wider thanthe combined wall thickness of the collapsible tube in order that theremay be a layer of paste remaining in such portion of the collapsibletube to act as a support for the wall of the collapsible tube to preventsame from bending, and said exuding walls being uniformly curvedoutwardly so as to support the walls of the collapsible tube, thusassisting in holding the collapsible tube in anupright position; androlling means inside said base for rolling up to the end of saidcollapsible tube and to completely exude the paste therefrom.

3. In a portable base for supporting a collapsible tube, the combinationof: walls having lower edges adapted for engagement with a supportingsurface; curved exuding walls forming an opening through which thecollapsible tube may pass into said base, the opening being wider thanthe combined wall thickness of the collapsible tube in order that theremay be a layer of paste remaining in such portion of the collapsibletube to act as a support for the wall of the collapsible tube to preventsame from bending; rolling means inside said base for rolling up the endof said collapsible tube and to completely exude the paste therefrom;and means operable in conjunction with said rolling means, whereby theportion of said collapsible tube between said exuding walls and saidexuding means is held taut.

4. A supporting and dispensing device for a collapsible tube comprisingside and end walls forming a hollow open-bottomed base member adapted torest upon a supporting surface, said side walls converging toward eachother to form an elongated opening in the top of said member adapted forthe passage of the collapsible tube therethrough, said opening beingwider than the combined wall thickness of the tube, an enlargeduniformly and outwardly curved exuding surface integral with each ofsaid side walls on op osite sides of said opening, a shaft rotatn ysupported in said end Walls beneath said opening, a slot in said shaftadapted to reoeive the closed end of said tube, and means for rotatingsaid shaft.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles,California, this 18 day of March, 1931.

RALPH B. ROTHWELL.

